HUNTING. 



373 



Hunting, riers ; sometimes the hounds pursue him thither, and 

 """"Y"'' are themsehre suffocated within. It is difficult to kill 

 the female while breeding, from her never wander- 

 ing far from the burrow, and retreating into it on 

 the slightest alarm. A modern author remarks, that 

 " the whole art of fox-hunting is to keep hounds well in 

 blood ; therefore every advantage of the fox is taken. 

 Sport i but a secondary consideration with die true 

 fox hunter : his first motive is the killing of the fox, 

 by which he makes his hound;. Present success is 

 almost a sure forerunner of future sport; and he is 

 better pleased with an indifferent chace, with death at 

 the close of it, than with the beet chace possible, it" it 

 terminates with the loss of the fox." This kind of 

 amusement ha* been practised * considerable time in 

 Great Britain. That King James I. had it* copimen- 

 dation in view, when treating of the education of 

 a prince, we shall not affirm ; but he soys, " I cannot 

 omit here the hunting with running bounds, which is 

 the most honourable and noblest sort thereof; for it is 

 a thievish form of hunting to shoot with guns and 

 bows ; and greyhound hunting i not so martial a 

 game." Fox-hunting is certainly no inconsiderable 

 enterpriae, when we hear of honec running themselves 

 blind, or dying of fatigue under the lash of their riders; 

 of dugs periihing during the chace, and of men break- 

 ing their limbs, or dislocating their necks. But whether 

 an amusement either humane, or attended with 

 any utility, might admit of some diecnerion. 

 WOicMtk. Wild cattle are numerous on the southern continent 

 of America, and herd together hi great flocks ; and the 

 same may be said of horset. Both are hunted by the 

 Indian* in two different ways. A lash or belt is made 

 of skin or leather, about fifty feet in length and two 

 inches broad, with a running noose at one end. The 

 hunuman hold* the noose in his right hand, and being 

 well mounted, on approaching within a few yards of 

 the wild animal, throws the noose over it* head though 

 running at full speed, whereby it is easily taken 

 the second method, an iron ball, of about two pounds 

 weight, is fastened to each end of a leather strap about 

 twelve feet long, and the huntsman, when within the 

 necessary distance, having swung one of the balls seve- 

 ral times around hi* bead to give it an impetus, throws 

 it at the animal's legs, aim parting with the other where- 

 by they are entangled. Hunting the buffalo, which 

 is a powerful, fierce, and intractable animal, is attend- 

 ed with greater readily attack* its pur- 



suers, who to the swHtne** of their hone* far 



ncape. It entertain* the utmost antipathy to every 

 thing coloured red ; and it is said that if piece of red 

 cloth ii thrown in it* way, it will be to much occupied 

 in \mting its rage upon it, that the hMMMB has suf- 

 ficirnt r>pp,.rtiim'y to'.vlv.vicc or \>, rrtin-. 



nnim.il, the deer, ha* been liberally disper- 

 sed by nature throughout the world, r'perially in the 

 ^iberia, vast herd* of reindeer ehift 

 their abode at certain seasons, leaving the wood* to seek 

 for better pasture, and swim acroa* wide river*, always 

 having a leader at their head. Then they became an easy 

 prey ; but if the leader suspect* danger and returns, he 

 w invariably followed by the rest, and the sportsman is 

 disappointed of hi* game. The elk orroooW deer north of 

 Viy . i- hunted in a singular manner ; for there 

 the Indiana theme!ves absolutely run it down. Thi* is 

 attempted only when the earth is covered by snow, and 

 especially when the surface is entrusted over ; then it 

 sinks with the weight of the animal, while the snow 

 of the huntsman bear him up. A good rumwr 



f- ..-. 

 't- 



will generally tire a moose in less than a day, and very Hunting- 

 often in six or eight hours ; though it sometimes hap- ^ 'V""* 

 pens, that the hunters continue the pursuit two days 

 before they can come up with and kill the game. They 

 are very lightly clothed on such occasions, and carry 

 only a bow with two or three arrows, and a small bag 

 witn implements for striking fire. Dogs are trained 

 for this sport by the southern Indians, which renders 

 it easier and more expeditious ; and they are likewise 

 used in Europe and>ther countries inhabited by the 

 deer. In Britain, stag hunting is followed with hounds, 

 and the strength and swiftness of the animal render* 

 this description of the chace particularly interesting. 

 lie agility surmounts every obstacle ; the plains vanish 

 under its feet ; riven are no barrier ; and it seeks for 

 shelter alike in the woods and the mountains. Thence 

 the pursuit is generally long and difficult, and the stag can 

 be wearied down only by the strongest and most steady 

 hounds. When the stag despairs of escaping, it some- 

 times stand* at bay ; and, presenting its antlers to the 

 pursuers, seem* resolved to sell it* life a* dearly as pos- 

 sible. The huntsman, however, is always the victor, 

 and hi* precaution* moot commonly secure him from 

 injury. But a more treacherous method is generally 

 followed in stalking or approaching in dixguise to shoot 

 this fine animal, at least in those parts of the north and 

 western parts of Scotland where it still runs wild. In 

 the northern climates deer are shot with arrows, by 

 means of a spring bow set in their path. 



The antelope is a gregarious animal, very shy, and Antelope. 

 of greet speed. Beeido* the use of the cheeta, it is 

 ' by number* of men forming a circle, which, 

 ' ag, bring* it within reach of the spons- 

 or it i* pursued by dogs, while hawks, trained 

 for the purpose, being let fly, retard its swiftness by 

 striking it on the head, end fluttering before its eye*. 



There are various species of bean, which are hunted 

 after different fashions both in the warmer and colder Ban> 

 dimatea. The white bear, an enormous animal of the 

 polar regions, i* never seen but on ice and snow. Win- 

 terers on Nova /embla remark, that it retreats from 

 their abode a* the eon *ink* below the horizon in No- 

 vumbei, and return* with hi* appearance in January; 

 meanwhile, they are visited by the arctic fox, wlm li 

 retire* as the bear approaehee. White been attack 

 man, and swim around ships e* if to get on board. 

 They ere hunted by the northern savages, on the ice 

 and snow, with pike*, swords, bow*, and arrows ; but 

 the bear mokes a vigorous defence, turning on its as- 

 aOante, whose victory i* sometime* dearly purchased. 

 However, a single men bee been known to engage in- 

 trepidly in combat win a very fierce beer, without any 

 other weapon than a knife, and to deetroy his antagonbt. 



TV- -l--L L_._ -- - - _ . 1- | _ " 



i ii" if . Demi IN * < r ;itt i< r. i ;. .11 ii MI > r.cii pro- 

 voked ; it then rises upright, and, clasping him in it* 

 fore paw*, endeavours to crush him to death. Before 

 any encounter, it i* said to make its young ascend tree*. 

 Una animal can be dislodged with difficulty from its 

 retreat* by dog* ; bat when once roused, it is pursued. 

 end shot. It n likewise taken by a great number of 

 stratagems, of which we have already given an ac- 

 count under the article BEAR, Vol. HI. page S65. 

 Hunting the badger, which pertains to the same ge- Bwlgcr. 

 ntis, is followed in another shape. It burrows in 

 the earth, and is also difficult to dislodge. When 

 driven out by terriers, it fight* boldly, inflicting se- 

 vere laceration* on its pursuers. However, it is gene- 

 rnlly overpowered. Though covered with a strong 

 hide and long hair, which render it tenacious of life, a 



